Objective of the post: The Team Leader (TL) will manage the design and implementation of the “Strengthening Market Actors and Communities” agricultural markets system development project in South Sudan. The TL will help transform the agricultural sector in Central and Eastern Equatoria by facilitating sustainable progress for individuals, communities, and market systems. The TL will utilize his or her knowledge in managing complex, multi-stakeholder MSD interventions, from market diagnostics and co-investment facilitation to adaptive delivery. This formulation will enable the project to scale strategically while remaining aligned with national policy priorities. The TL will also bring expertise in partnership development, and experience working in large-scale MSD programmes funded by international donors.
Program Overview:
The European Union is currently funding the Green and Resilient Economy (GRE) Action in South Sudan. The GRE activity facilitates the development of an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable market system to boost agriculture-led economic growth in key agricultural corridors of South Sudan. The activity uses a Market Systems Development (MSD) Approach and focuses on minimizing barriers that disadvantage the vulnerable, women and youth and exclude them from economic opportunities within the agriculture sector. This activity is anticipated to cover a combination of staple and high value crops.
The activity will implement solutions including:
- Building the capacity of smallholder producers and agribusinesses.
- Enhancing access to finance across sectors for the rural poor and SMEs.
- Increasing incomes for smallholder farmers.
- Establishing strong and transparent relationships between actors.
- Enhancing risk sharing and management.
- Expanding employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, especially for youth and women.
Primary Functions & Responsibilities:
- Lead overall implementation and management of the program, from inception to close-out, ensuring that the project achieves established goals, objectives, and targets.
- Provide strategic guidance, leadership, management, and general technical oversight of the project.
- Continuously develop operational efficiencies, and drive innovations in delivery.
- Oversee development and submission of project deliverables on time and within budget.
- Recruit, lead, manage, and supervise delivery teams comprising long- and short-term team members and consortium partners.
- Serve as the primary liaison with European Union SSD Delegation, the Government of South Sudan and its agencies, and all counterparts, implementing partners, and stakeholders involved with the project.
- Act as a spokesperson for the project and present its work regionally/globally.
Basic Qualifications:
This position is open to qualified South Sudanese or international applicants.
Bachelor’s degree with at least 10 years of experience or a master’s degree with at least 7 years of experience, with a background in agricultural economics, international development, business, economics, public policy or other relevant areas.
At least five years of experience in relevant private sector or development programs.
Prior Chief of Party/Team Lead experience, with a minimum of three years of experience managing large international donor programs.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience working in South Sudan and/or Sub-Saharan Africa strongly preferred.
- Experience implementing EU-funded programs and knowledge of EU regulations and procedures.
- Ability to build win-win partnerships between multiple agriculture sector stakeholders, including smallholder farmers, agribusinesses, public sector, financial institutions, technology providers, and others.
- Experience successfully implementing gender-integrated programs.
- Solid grasp of environmentally sustainable agricultural production and processing.
- Demonstrated ability to clearly communicate a high-level strategy to internal and external stakeholders, while driving execution of a work plan and achievement of short-term milestones.
- Demonstrated ability to use adaptive management principles to make strategic, data-driven decisions in the face of uncertainty and complexity.
- Required Languages
- Fluency in English with excellent oral and written communication skills required. Knowledge of South Sudan Arabic a plus.
- Travel
- Extensive travel across Central and Eastern Equatoria at least 35% of the time.
- Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Strong leadership skills and demonstrated experience in managing complex, multi-disciplinary and challenging field operations in developing countries, in South Sudan or East Africa preferred.
- Strong interpersonal and communications skills and ability to effectively motivate and manage teams in a multi-cultural environment.
- Strong private sector market orientation, entrepreneurial and innovative thinker.
- Demonstrated skills in problem solving, consensus building, and coordination of diverse stakeholders.
- Ability to work under tight deadlines while managing multiple tasks and activities.
- Ability to develop well written, cohesive analyses and reports.
How to apply
Interested candidates should submit the following documents:
- Motivation Letter
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) with contact details of three referees, preferably former supervisors.
- Copy of credential (s), copy of nationality ID/passport
Send your applications to the email addresses below, stating “Application”: Team Leader of the SMAC Project before (latest) the 14th of October 2025
Applications per email need to be sent to cachsouthsudan@caritas.ch